“We Are Saving It For The International” iNSaNiA Sheds Light On Liquid’s Tour 3 Strategy

The Berlin Major 2023 runner-ups want their players at the top of their games in The International 2023

Team Liquid have consistently held an esteemed status as one of the global juggernauts in the Dota 2 scene, standing shoulder to shoulder with its formidable arch-nemesis, the Gaimin Gladiators. The Dutch side solidified their status as a global powerhouse with their exceptional performances in the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) Western Europe (WEU) region, which led to back-to-back finishes in Tour 1 and 2. Despite their unwavering success, Team Liquid have suffered a series of crushing defeats in the grand finals, each time falling prey to the Gaimin Gladiators' cunning strategies. The Lima Major 2023, Dreamleague Season 19, and Berlin Major 2023 bore witness to Team Liquid's valiant efforts being thwarted by their fierce rivals.

Amidst the trials and tribulations, however, Team Liquid's resilience shines through, making them the first, and till now the only, team to secure The International 2023 qualification. As the DPC Tour 3 took flight, Team Liquid faced an early setback, succumbing to a one-sided defeat against Entity. They did return to winning ways in their following game, nonetheless, with a 2-0 series win against Team Secret. After the match, Aydin “iNSaNiA” Sarkohi talked about his team’s slow Tour 3 start. 

“Yeah now that we're qualified for TI we look at the schedule and we realize that there's not really a lot of time to try and like find some energy again and to get into it again so we're taking it a bit slower this Season 3 (Tour 3) and try and focus up more energy for potentially Dreamleague, the Riyadh Masters and TI coming up, so taking it a bit more chill than usual.”

The player took a moment to reflect on their exhilarating match against Entity, demonstrating a commendable sense of sportsmanship and respect for their opponents. He emphasized the importance of recognizing any team that possesses the ability to defeat them, humbly acknowledging that Entity's strong performance deserved admiration.

“For sure, any team that beats us, they're still beating us so they deserve all the respect in the world. I don’t think you should discredit anyone, we're still trying to play our best whenever we lose a ton of good games but maybe we're putting slightly less effort into the preparation leading up to the games than we normally do, so huge credit to them (Entity). I don’t remember the last time I was stomped in that manner. I feel like even at Lima when we were playing with Jabz, it did not feel quite that bad. Huge credit to them, I think they look really hot.”

Given the challenging schedule and intense competition within the Dota 2 scene this year, Team Liquid's strategic decision to adopt a more laid-back approach and prioritize energy restoration is a well-founded choice. It is notable that players from other teams, such as Martin “Saksa” Sazdov of Tundra, have also encountered burnout and had to take breaks during Dreamleague Season 19. This underscores the need for effective mental and physical stress management in competitive Esports culture.